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4 Affordable Things You Can Do to be Better Prepared
October 18, 2022
I'm sure you are aware that there are a lot of very expensive ways to prepare for emergencies. If you want to maintain the same standard of living when the power goes out or other services are cut off, it is going to cost a lot of money to have backup systems in place to provide those wants and needs. Most of us don't have the kind of money it takes to have a full solar electric system for emergencies that will supply your current demand, several 1,000 gallon water tanks plumbed in, and a full grocery store supply of food for your family, but there are small things you can do that will allow you to survive and provide your basic necessities and live better than those around you during an emergency.
The lowest cost way to really be prepared to supply your family's food needs, is to practing to grow those needs today by planting and using a garden. Food is one of the most fragile industries we have and one we depend on the most. What will you do if trucking is shut down because of destroyed highways? What if there are riots and stores close, or it is too dangerous to drive to them, or gas is not available or restricted?
Growing a garden that you know how to make use of will ensure you can feed your family when things get rough. Just like people that have their own wood supply and a wood stove for heating and cooking don't worry when the power or gas is not available, people with gardens don't panic when the stores are closed. When you control the supply of your own needs, you don't worry when earthly support is cut off.
Another thing you can do to prepare that does not cost a lot is to store large quantities of beans and grains that your family uses. Buying 50 or 25 lb bags at a time can same you a lot in per pound cost. If you store them yourself in mylar bags and paint buckets with rubber seals they will keep for a long time as well. You can buy beans and rice for instance for about a $1/lb. Storing a large supply of potatoes in boxes in a cool place is also a good way to save money on food storage and have the security of having a large supply available at all times. Keep replacing them as you use them.
Get some water containers and a filter system to supply your water needs. If you have a good water filter system like a Berkey, you don't need to store as much clean water. If you have a river or a creek near by you can replace your water and filter it when the need comes rather than storing huge amounts of water in expensive tanks. You will want some small containers for storing clean water in that you can use for short period of time and also for hauling water in.
If you ask around, you can usually find cheap 55 gal plastic barrels that have been used. Combined with a water pump, these make an affordable way to store large amounts of water. If you can't find anything local and need to buy online, the 5 gal stackable water containers are the best value because the shipping will be a lot less. Shipping large barrels gets very expensive.
Another affordable way to prepare if by learning and practicing survival skills. The internet is a great resource for people wanting to learn survival skills. There are blogs, websites, forums, and YouTube videos about the subject. Even your local library can be a great free resource for learning skills. You can also study our free Army Survival Manual to teach you all the survival skills the army uses.
About the author: Daniel Baldwin
I run a web development business located in the hills of Sweet Home, OR. I am interested in health, Christianity, gardening, and storable food.
